Regarding Matters of the Heart
by MoreBonesPlz
Summary: Professionally, Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan are role models and mentors for their younger protégés, Agent Aubrey and Jessica Warren. But, what about when it comes to romance? My Bonesology Valentine's Day Fan Fic gift for mphs95.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _This is my Valentine's Day Fan Fic Gift for mphs95 as part of the Bonesology Gift exchange. She wanted an Aubrey/Jessica story with B &B as an alternate. Since I've never really written a story that wasn't about B&B, I made it about all of them. She also wished for a misunderstanding, expressions of feelings, and/or advice given, all prompts that I was enthusiastic to try and incorporate here. _

_Mphs95 definitely desired risqué too, so this is rated "M" for a little naughtiness (no swinging involved, I promise)._

 _This is a 4-part story which will be posted on 2/4, 2/7, 2/10, and 2/13._

 _I hope she (and any others that tune in) finds this entertaining and that it fulfills her Valentine's Day wishes (at least those that a fanfic can deliver on!)._

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 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing _Bones_ related except my imagination. (2/4/16)

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Agent James Aubrey looked across the conference room table and watched his mentor, Agent Booth, diligently studying the case files and crime scene photographs spread out before them. "So . . . have you decided what you and Dr. Brennan will be doing this year to celebrate Valentine's Day?"

Booth looked up just in time to catch Aubrey licking the sugary glaze off his fingers from the Shopper's Colossal donut he'd just consumed, only half-heartedly thinking about Aubrey's question as his brain was still engaged on the documents in front of him. "Nah. Bones and I don't usually do anything much to celebrate it."

"What?" Aubrey stared at Booth dumbfounded. "But you and Dr. Brennan are like such a tight couple, you know? How can you just ignore Valentine's Day when you have the woman of your dreams in your life? You don't even give her flowers or candy?"

"No. No flowers, candy, or cards . . . those are too cliché. Besides, the whole holiday is just a trumped up marketing gimmick propagated by card and candy stores to boost sales," Booth declared even as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat and felt an embarrassed flush creep up his neck. "It's not a real holiday," he grumbled.

While Booth wasn't willing to spill his guts to Aubrey, the truth was he always felt a little guilty about Valentine's Day and the lack of attention he had devoted to it each year since he'd been romantically involved with Bones. He'd been so bitter and angry when it came around the year he and Hannah broke up that he'd loudly and repeatedly denounced the holiday and everything associated with it to her. He'd mocked the holiday traditions and made disparaging comments about everyone who bought into such contrived hype (even though he'd always celebrated it pretty much just like everyone else prior to that year) and Bones had echoed his sentiments. Although, even several years later, he was still uncertain whether she'd truly felt that way or whether she had simply just been trying to comfort and support him in her own Bones-y way.

When the next year rolled around and Bones was finally his girlfriend, he had struggled trying to figure out the best way to retract his comments from the year previous and she didn't push the issue. Granted, she'd been in the last month of her pregnancy, feeling tired and uncomfortable most nights with little interest in sex or appreciation for romance right then, and he'd been spending every spare moment he had fixing up their new Mighty Hut so it would be ready for them to move into before the baby was born, falling exhausted into bed each night. As a result, Valentine's Day kinda crept up on them and passed on by without any extravagant gestures from either partner.

That's not to say it was completely neglected though. Booth _had_ made a special effort to prepare one of her favorite dinners that night and pamper her a bit and she had given him the most satisfying and sensual foot massage he'd ever felt on his damaged feet using some sort of special exotic oil imported from the Far East. Afterward, they'd snuggled together on the couch watching a romantic comedy by candlelight. But, neither one openly claimed their actions or special attention was part of Valentine's Day.

In hindsight, Booth often wondered if she'd been waiting to take her cue from him on how to treat the holiday, like she frequently did on relationship type issues early on in their romance, and he couldn't quite shake the guilty feeling he got every year that he had somehow failed her on this particular topic.

Of course, a year later, she'd spent Valentine's Day in the hospital, recovering from a gunshot wound made from an ice bullet which had effectively destroyed any chance of grand romantic gestures for that year too and by then, a pattern of not over-emphasizing the romantic holiday had been set. At least, not too blatantly he thought as he contemplated what romantic gesture he might be able to sneak by her this year . . .

Aubrey simply shook his head at Booth, amazed and a little dumbfounded that a guy with such a strong streak of romanticism who had obviously found his soul mate didn't embrace the holiday with more fanfare. It must be one of those things that the people who've known them both for years tended to roll their eyes about and mutter _"it's Booth and Brennan,"_ as though that was explanation enough for any oddity about their relationship.

For the next hour, both agents were focused on the case, looking for clues in the information they'd gathered and bouncing ideas back and forth off one another until Booth took a break and left the room to get a fresh cup of coffee.

As Booth pulled out his chair to sit back down, Aubrey tapped his pen nervously on the pad of paper in front of him. "I'm thinking about asking Jessica to go out with me on a date for Valentine's Day," he blurted out.

Booth looked at Aubrey blankly.

"You know . . . Jessica Warren?"

Booth just grunted and picked up the nearest file. He recognized the name and was certain he should also know who the woman was, but he was coming up blank trying to picture her.

Aubrey sighed. "She works with Dr. Brennan at the Jeffersonian, remember? One of the squinterns?"

"Oh, right. Right. The redhead that taught Bones to tweet?"

"Yeah. That's the one. We've become pretty good friends over the last several months, getting together occasionally to grab a bite to eat or watch some TV . . . maybe catching a movie together. Mostly casual things like that."

"Huh. Well, you realize that if you ask her out on a date over Valentine's Day, she's going to think you want to move the relationship from the platonic zone into the romantic zone," Booth cautioned.

Aubrey nodded, having a hard time holding back the smile that spread across his face. "Well yeah, that's kinda the general idea. I just . . . I find her adorable. She's cute, and funny, and smart and she has a way of keeping me grounded, you know?" Plus, in the last couple months, Aubrey had spent a lot of the time when they were together trying to hide the partial erection she seemed to consistently inspire, and he'd like to do something else with that erection besides always hiding it. But he didn't think Booth needed to know that part.

Booth shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to his files. "Good luck then."

There was a pause of about three seconds when the room was absolutely silent before Aubrey reacted. "Good luck? That's it? That's all you have to say?" he exclaimed.

Booth frowned. "What did you expect me to say? Are you looking for a lesson on the birds and the bees? Wear a condom and don't get her pregnant."

(Of course, Booth had twice knocked up women by forgetting to follow that particular advice and he really didn't have any regrets about either instance so, coming from him, that advice might seem a tad bit hypocritical. But, he could never regret having Parker in his life even if he didn't get to see his oldest son nearly as much as he wanted and of course, the second time around he'd ended up with both Bones and Christine . . . now Hank. That thought put a smile on his face . . . as did the thought that he personally hadn't had to wear a condom since Bones told him she was pregnant that first time several years ago now and he absolutely loved the feel of sliding his hard, naked cock into her hot, wet channel and feeling her walls clench down on him, massaging and milking his shaft, without that artificial barrier between them.)

"I'm not exactly a virgin, Booth. I know about birth control and how to be responsible. But, I thought you might have something to say about the protocol and politics of a FBI agent getting romantically involved with someone from the Jeffersonian, technically our consultants. If Jessica says yes to my invitation and we start dating, I don't want to feel like I need to hide it and since you're my supervisor and you've obviously been through almost this exact situation, I was hoping you might possibly have some useful words of wisdom to share."

"Oh, that."

"Yeah, that. Was it ever an issue with the FBI for you and Dr. Brennan?"

"Me and Bones? I guess you could say it was sorta an issue, for a while." Booth looked off into space as he thought back to the early days of being partnered with Dr. Temperance Brennan. The FBI policy was just one of many hurdles they had to navigate to get to where they currently were so it was hard to define just how much it contributed to the decisions they made relative to the other baggage they each had to deal with. "Bones and I, we were both always attracted to one another, from the very first case we worked on together, but, for a long time, we didn't pursue any sort of romance with one another partly because we didn't know how the FBI would react. It didn't stop us from caring about one another and falling in love though. Eventually, we decided being life partners was just as important as being working partners and since we had a solid track record together professionally by then, worrying about the FBI's reactions became less of a concern and ended up being a moot issue."

Aubrey wondered how much he'd be able to get Booth to spill about his past with Dr. Brennan. This was only his second year in the DC field office and Booth and Brennan were already married by the time he met them. But, he'd heard rumors - snippets of stories or comments made in passing, some seeming quite outrageous - that made him curious about their courtship. "So, you and Dr. Brennan didn't start dating right after you met then?"

Booth snorted and shook his head. "No. No we did not. Bones is waaay too complicated for it to have been that easy."

He surprised Aubrey then by looking the younger agent directly in the eyes with his full attention and speaking in a serious tone that also rang with compassion. "Listen Aubrey, with respect to you and this Jessica, you don't need to worry about the FBI non-fraternization policies. With me and Bones, it was different. She was the primary link to the Jeffersonian and I was the direct FBI liaison. Our partnership and our personal interactions effectively defined the relationship between the FBI and the Jeffersonian, so we had to be a little cautious in the beginning. That's not the case with you and Jessica. You work for me and report to me, and Jessica works for Bones and reports to her, and only part time at that. Unlike with me and Bones, there is no official connection between you and Jessica. Neither one of you has authority nor influence over the other's work, and neither one of you are in a position where an intimate relationship between you is likely to compromise an investigation. If you think Jessica might be something or someone special for you, then don't hold yourself back. Give her your all. Believe me when I say that there's absolutely _nothing_ in the world that is more thrilling or more rewarding than the love of a good woman, the right woman for you and if you've got the chance to find that, then you ought to pursue it no matter what. Things like careers and where you live or other people's opinions will work themselves out. There's nothing in the world I wouldn't do for Bones, not just because I love her more than I ever could've imagined, but because _she_ loves _me_ . . . and she believes _in me_ . . . and that's a treasure that is hard to find and which I never, ever wanna lose. So, if there's a spark between you and this Jessica squint-girl and you're wanting to ask her to be your Valentine's Day date, then I'll say it again and I really mean it this time . . . Good luck."

Aubrey was touched more than he would've expected by Booth's heartfelt words of encouragement and well wishes. He had been an only child, raised by his mother after his father had abandoned them, leaving them penniless. But, at times like this, he couldn't help but think of Booth almost like he was the big brother Aubrey never had. At times like this, Booth felt more like family than just a colleague and Aubrey had to swallow the lump that formed in his throat before he could respond. "Thanks, Booth."

* * *

Dr. Brennan entered the exam room where the remains for the victim in their current case were displayed on the table. Jessica Warren, the intern assisting her for this ongoing case, was busily examining the bones and recording her observations. Before shadowing her intern and continuing her own examination, Dr. Brennan took a few moments to read through the notes Ms. Warren had recorded during the last hour or so that she'd been alone with the bones. When she was done, she set aside the notebook and approached the exam table, starting at one of the victim's feet. However, Ms. Warren's extremely committed focus to her work was unexpectedly distracting for Dr. Brennan and she found her own attention wandering to study her intern much too frequently for her peace of mind. Finally, frustrated with her own lack of progress, Brennan stood up straight, letting her arms dangle at her sides and confronted her intern.

"Is something troubling you Ms. Warren?"

Jessica froze in place feeling a little like a deer caught in headlights and turned only her head to face her mentor. "I'm sorry. What?"

"I asked if something was troubling you."

Jessica knew she had been working quietly and hadn't said anything that could be misconstrued, so she looked around the room trying to figure out what had triggered Dr. Brennan's query and didn't see anything that looked out of place. "Why do you ask? Did you find a problem with one of my observations?"

"No, Ms. Warren. You're observations were accurate and very astute. They were also extremely thorough."

"That sounds like it should be a good thing, but the way you're saying it, I'm getting a vibe that you might not think so, though."

Brennan sighed. "I'm actually quite impressed with the quantity of observations you've made and the level of detail you documented in such a short span of time. The last time I was this impressed by your work productivity, you claimed that you were concentrating your attention on your assigned tasks so diligently as a means of coping with some emotional turmoil you were suffering. Despite the fact that I do not usually promote the parading of people's personal lives while working, if you are suffering some sort of emotional turmoil again now and it would help to discuss it, then by all means, knock over the beans."

"Oh. Wow." Jessica was surprised and a little awed at Dr. Brennan's overture. "That's incredibly nice and strangely bizarre coming from you."

"Yes, well, while I do not object to taking advantage of whatever tumult you may be experiencing to continue advancing our investigation, I have also grown fond of you and find my own concentration faltering at the prospect that you may be distressed. Obviously, in the bigger picture, it will be better for the investigation for _me_ to be fully focused on the case, even if that means that discussing your issues causes your productivity to fall back into the normal range."

Jessica smiled inwardly, somewhat touched by Dr. Brennan's peculiar explanation and decided to share what was on her mind. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her phone, scrolling through a handful of pictures on the Instagram app until she found the one she was looking for, and handed her phone to Dr. Brennan. "Here. Look."

Brennan accepted the phone and looked down to see a picture of an attractive young male, mid-twenties, sandy blonde hair with strong Nordic facial features and an athletic physique smiling back from a photograph. Brennan shook her head. "I don't understand. Who's this?"

"Douglas Kates. He's a friend of mine from school. We have a bio-chem class together this semester and after class this morning, he invited me to have dinner with him this weekend, on Valentine's Day."

"Oh, I see. A date on Valentine's Day usually comes with expectations of affectionate companionship and sexual intercourse. Do you not find this Mr. Kates appealing? Based on his photo, he seems to exhibit many of the physical characteristics that our society identifies as being desirable in a mate."

"Douglas is attractive enough and he's a nice guy with just the right amount of naughty in him too, but . . . to be honest, I was kind of hoping for an invitation from someone else." _Someone tall and lanky, with dark hair, not light, and an imperfect gap-toothed smile as opposed to a smile that looks like it belongs on a toothpaste add._

"How did you respond to Mr. Kates' invitation?"

"I told him I'd get back to him tomorrow. I don't really want to spend Valentine's Day alone, but if I decide to go out with Douglas and start something with him, then I feel as though I'm basically giving up on this other thing, that's not a real thing yet, ever actually becoming a thing."

"But your preference is for this other non-thing to be a thing?"

"I think it could be a really awesome thing, if it were a thing."

"Hmm. Booth and I had a non-thing thing for a long time before we became a real thing. We both tried dating other people, but it never worked out. Dr. Sweets said our feelings for each other kept us from really committing to other relationships. So, drawing on my own experience, I would suggest you explore the thing you want before trying to start a different thing with someone else simply because the date of a made up holiday happens to occur before the desired thing has been attempted. Why not just ask Agent Aubrey out yourself?"

"Oh." Jessica felt the blush that stole quickly over her skin at the thought that her crush on Aubrey was so transparent that even Dr. Brennan was aware of it and knew that with her complexion, she'd never be able to hide it so there was no use denying it. "Well, I did toy with that idea but . . . I wasn't sure . . . is there any conflict of interest or anything like that if me and Aubrey were to, you know, get involved? I don't want to potentially get him in trouble at work."

"The FBI does have some archaic policies that limit fraternization between agents and consultants, but I do not think they would apply to your situation since you do not report to Agent Aubrey. You work for me, Ms. Warren and the Jeffersonian Institute does not have any restrictions on personal romance. Do not make work your excuse for not pursuing this opportunity if it is what you truly wish for."

Jessica felt like a burden she hadn't even realized she'd been carrying had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders. "Thanks, Dr. B. I feel like I can breathe a lot easier now."

"I did not notice any issues with your respiratory system, Ms. Warren," Brennan answered, her brows furrowed in concern. "Should I be worried about that too?"

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 **A/N:** _Fun so far?_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _Thanks for all the great comments on the first chapter. Things get a little sexier in this one (i.e. – not recommended for those under age 18)._

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 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing _Bones_ related except my imagination. (2/7/16)

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Booth's eyes were getting that tired, burning feeling from spending so much time looking through files with Aubrey. They'd been at it all day, hunched over the conference room table dealing with paperwork. He stretched and twisted in his chair, trying to work out a few of the kinks and feeling the need for some physical activity to burn off some of the restless energy that had built up throughout the day of sitting. This was a large part of why he preferred being a _field agent_ in lieu of a desk jockey.

The deceased in this current case was a woman who had certainly been a very high energy personality. Not only was she the CEO of a small but prosperous real estate development corporation, she was actively engaged in several different charitable organizations and was a committee member for a couple different local business development societies too. She regularly attended yoga classes three days a week and played tennis with a group of ladies every other Thursday afternoon. The upshot of all this was that the woman knew lots of people in lots of circles and the pool of potential suspects to her murder seemed endless. While the squints at the Jeffersonian were doing their thing to try to determine the how, what, when, and where of her murder, Booth and Aubrey had their hands full trying to get a sense of the who and the why.

Booth was expecting several late nights of work on this one unless they caught a lucky break sometime soon.

Just then, his phone chirped alerting him to an incoming text message. "Ha. Look at that. Bones and the kids are on their way up from the garage with dinner for us." Booth jumped up and rounded the conference table looking over his shoulder at Aubrey. "Take a break man. I'm gonna meet Bones at the elevator."

As the elevator doors opened, Christine came running out first and jumped into her father's arms while Brennan followed pushing Hank's stroller that was laden down with bags of carry out food. Booth spun Christine in a circle, planted a loud smooch on her cheek, then placed her back on her feet. "Why don't you push your brother into the conference room down the hall where Aubrey's hanging out while I say hello to your mother," Booth told her.

"Okay, Daddy.' Christine squeezed in front of her mother, grabbed the stroller handles, and happily started pushing her baby brother and dinner down the hall.

Booth's gaze raked Brennan from head to toe with a very appreciative look causing Brennan's eyebrows to lift in surprise and a soft, sultry smile to grace her lips and twinkle in her eyes.

In a husky voice usually reserved for the bedroom, he greeted her. "Hello, Bones."

"Hello right back atcha, Booth." She tilted her head at him saucily, the tip of her tongue barely poking out between her teeth in a way he found incredibly sexy.

"Damn. You are a sight for sore eyes." Booth stepped into her space, sliding his hands over her hips and pulling her flush against his body, her arms naturally lifting to drape over his shoulders. "Have I told you lately how magnificently beautiful you are and how extremely lucky I am?"

Then he kissed her.

But it wasn't his typical, chaste _we're-at-the-FBI-headquarters-and-have-to-be-on-our-best-behavior_ kind of simple kiss.

No, no.

This time, his lips landed on hers possessively with a _fuck-everyone-else-because-you're-mine-and-I-don't-care-who-sees_ kind of swoon-worthy kiss.

His lips were firm and warm against hers as he melded their mouths together. He leaned forward, slipping one hand down to cup her ass and keep her pelvis pressed snug against him and the other around her lower back, forcing her to lean backwards, off-balance. She gripped his shoulders tighter to keep from falling and as she emitted a startled gasp in reaction to the feeling of tipping, Booth took advantage of her parted lips to slip his tongue into her mouth and deepen the kiss even further. She was helpless; completely dependent on Booth to keep her from falling as he plundered her mouth over and over; and she absolutely loved it – reveled in it even. Her breasts tingled and moisture pooled between her legs, dampening her underwear, at such a blatant display of male dominance and power. She always found his demonstrations of alpha male behavior incredibly arousing and this time was no different.

When Booth finally pulled back from the kiss and moved back just enough to allow her to balance on her own two feet without releasing her, they were both breathing heavily. Brennan had that stunned look on her face as she stared at him with large owlish looking eyes that he knew meant she'd lost all control of any thoughts in her brain and he had the urge to tilt his head back and howl in triumph. Instead, he pressed his pelvis into her again, ensuring she knew just how hard he was right at that moment for her, and watched the skin around her eyes and nostrils flare with desire before stepping further back, so that only the fingers of one hand were still touching hers.

"What was that for?" Her voice was breathless.

He gave her his most cocky and arrogant smile. "Just because I love you."

"You always love me, but you don't usually greet me with a kiss like that one."

"Are you complaining?" he teased.

She huffed and wrapped a hand around his tie, pulling him down for another softer, yet still quite decadent kiss. "Only that you don't usually greet me like that and I'd like to understand what's different about tonight so I can get more kisses like that one again."

Booth chuckled. He wasn't going to tell her about his chat with Aubrey earlier in the day or that the words he'd spoken to Aubrey about the privilege of being loved had played around in the back of his mind the rest of the day, fueling his feelings for her. At least, not right now. It had taken him so long to find a woman who truly loved him, warts and all, that when the doors to the elevator opened and he saw her standing there, he'd just been overwhelmed by the need to show her how much he loved her too. However, that kiss and her response had only whet his appetite for more of her.

"C'mon. Let's go eat." He tugged her hand to start them walking even though by now, he was more ravenous for her than for dinner. "So, anything interesting happen at the lab today?"

Aubrey was in the break room getting bottles of water for everyone to drink with their dinner and starting a fresh pot of coffee since he and Booth would still be sticking around after they ate when Booth and Brennan walked by on their way to the conference room. As a result, he only heard a snippet of their conversation.

 _. . . and then Ms. Warren shared a picture with me of a young man from one of her classes who wants her to go out with him on Valentine's Day. She said . . ._

Aubrey's head whipped around. Jessica already had a date lined up for Valentine's Day? She was going out with someone else? She must be pretty into this guy if she's flashing his picture around, even to Dr. Brennan. He quickly grabbed the water bottles and followed after the partners that were already down the hall, out of earshot. As he approached the conference room, he could hear Dr. Brennan speaking.

 _. . . and I suggested that if she was interested in a more intimate relationship with him, she should pursue it._

Aubrey entered the room just as she finished her sentence, not realizing that the 'him' she was talking about now was him. Booth was leaning against the conference room table with his hands in his lap while Brennan unloaded the food from the stroller. He was staring at his wife with that totally goofy, smitten look he sometimes wore around her, completely oblivious to Aubrey's plight.

Brennan carried the food bags to the end of the table away from where they'd been working so Christine wouldn't see any of the more graphic crime scene photos. Luckily, Hank was sound asleep in his stroller.

Aubrey decided to play it cool. "So, what'd I miss?"

Booth and Brennan looked at each other with secretive smiles on their faces and responded simultaneously, "Nothing."

Booth watched his wife pulling the cartons of take-out Chinese from the bags. She'd brought at least twice as much food as they normally ate, most likely in deference to feeding Aubrey, but despite the tempting aromas, all he could think about now she was here was her. Glancing at his sleeping son and his little girl coloring on some paper, it struck him again just how fortunate he was. Bones had given him everything he wanted most in life and his fingers actually twitched with the desire to reach out and hug her in appreciation.

He watched the way her hair fell softly around her face as she stood and answered a question from Christine. He admired the way the dress she wore accented her feminine curves – narrow at the waist, flaring at the hips, with a flattering deep V-shaped neckline that was just daring enough to let him glimpse the edges of the pale blue lace cupping her breasts when she leaned over the table to place the fortune cookies a little out of reach until after they ate. He could smell the lingering scent of vanilla from her shower gel mixed with her unique personal scent whenever she leaned close enough to place something in front of him – plate, utensils, napkin. But it was her hands that finally did him in. When she went to open the food cartons and he watched those magical slender fingers of hers sliding gently under the folded cardboard lids to pop open the containers, he knew he was lost.

He was in serious lust with his wife and the hard-on he was sporting beneath his folded hands wasn't going to just go away on its own as long as she was anywhere nearby.

Once she had the food laid out the way she wanted it and was about to sit down, Booth jumped up, grabbed her hand, and pulled her out of the room. "I've got something I need to discuss with Bones for a few minutes, Aubrey. You can watch the kids, right?"

He didn't wait for a response.

"Booth? Is everything okay?" She had to lengthen her normal stride to keep up with his hurried pace as he dragged her down the hall.

"Yeah. Everything's fine."

"I don't understand your sudden urgency. Where are we going?"

"My office," was his un-enlightening reply.

He pulled her through the quiet and mostly dark bullpen area, everyone else having left for the day, and into his office. He didn't bother to turn on his lights. He just used his free hand to turn the lock and close the blinds on his door so the only light filtering into the room was from the streetlights outside his open window shades. It was enough.

"Booth, what's – ompff" Her question was swallowed by his mouth crashing back onto hers again as he cupped her head in his hands and waltzed her backwards until her back was pressed against his wall of file cabinets. Despite the fierce intensity with which he devoured her mouth, his hands held her gently. He ran the tip of his tongue across her lips and she opened to him without hesitation. He slanted his lips across hers, letting his tongue duel with hers for dominance within her mouth, then pulled back and sucked her lower lip into his mouth, gently biting the sensitive flesh until she groaned.

He felt her hands rest on his waist, her fingers curling into the sides of his shirt. She didn't push him away, but she didn't pull him closer either and he knew she wasn't certain how far he planned to take this or what he expected from her. They were in his office at the FBI for fuck's sake and he'd always been pretty controlled about maintaining their professional composure when at work, so he understood her unspoken question. He pulled his mouth from hers, but didn't go far, trailing biting kisses along her jaw towards her ear. Brennan arched her neck providing easier access. "Sorry, Bones."

"Why?" Why was he sorry or why was he doing this? It was unclear if either of them knew what the question meant.

He bit her ear and sucked the lobe between his lips, soothing it with his tongue. Booth felt as much as heard her suck in her breath. "I want you," he growled as he slid one hand into the neckline of her dress, teasing the pale blue lace that had teased him earlier. "I need to be inside you." He flicked his thumb over one of her distended nipples and wedged one of his thighs between her legs so with a twist of his hips, he was generating friction right against her clitoris.

"Here? Now?" she gasped.

Booth knew she wasn't protesting, just clarifying. "Yeah, but we gotta be quick . . . Aubrey . . . The kids."

He rotated his hips again causing another lightning bolt of sensation to originate from her most sensitive area and spread through her core. "Aaaah," she groaned in pleasure. "I'm pretty sure I can do quick."

Now that negotiations were completed and she had a clear understanding of the objective, Brennan started to actively contribute to the seduction. She leaned her head back against the filing cabinets exposing her neck to Booth's lips as he kissed and sucked his way down to the base of her throat. Her hands were already wrapped in the fabric of his shirt, but with a few quick tugs, he was untucked and she could slide her hands under the material to feel the smooth, warm skin beneath.

Booth pulled the wide collar of her dress down over one shoulder, baring her bra encased breast on that side. As Brennan slid her hands around his waist to reach for his belt buckle, he tugged the bra cup down and tucked it beneath her breast, lifting the mound for him like an offering. By the time she had his belt buckle undone and started working on his pants fly, his lips were pressing wet kisses to her chest. As much as he usually enjoyed taking his time and teasing her with licks, nips, and kisses that avoided her nipples, tonight there wasn't much time for foreplay so he zeroed in on the grand prize right away. His teeth clamped down gently on the nub at the tip of her rosy aureole as he wrapped his mouth around whatever else would fit and suckled strongly. The bite of her fingernails into his flesh as she worked to lower his pants and boxers past his hips let him know how much she liked what he was doing.

Booth again tugged on the collar of her dress and pulled it down over the other shoulder too, sliding the garment down both arms to rest just above her elbows and exposing both breasts. Without unzipping the dress, it was too tight like this and pinned her arms from elbow to shoulder to her sides, restricting the movement of her upper arms. He tucked her other bra cup under her breast like the first and leaned back just enough to admire her standing there, arms pinned with both glorious boobs displaying puckered nipples, one glistening with wetness from his kisses and one not. Something easily rectified.

Booth lowered his head to her breasts again.

"Boooooth," she moaned his name expressing both pleasure and torment.

"I know, I know." He dropped a hand down by her knees and slid it up along her inner thigh, under her dress. "God, Bones. I've been thinking about loving you all day today and I just couldn't wait any longer." She felt the puff of his breath tantalizing her turgid nipples as the words whispered across her skin when he spoke.

"Then don't wait. Fuck me, Booth."

He slipped his fingers under the leg band of her panties and felt her slick essence coating his fingers. "Soon, baby, soon. Need to pleasure you first as I'm not gonna last long once I'm inside you." His fingers slid back and forth through the damp folds of skin, spreading her moisture around thoroughly until he decided her panties had to go and he pulled them down, shoving until gravity could pull them the rest of the way down to her feet.

There was a loud 'thunk' as Brennan banged her head back against the file cabinet behind her in frustration causing Booth to smile and release her breast from his mouth with a gentle 'pop'. He stood back up enough to drag her lips into another drugging kiss while he slipped two fingers into her center and let his thumb tease the sensitive bundle of nerves located at the top of her slit. He pumped his fingers in and out of her core matching the rhythm of his tongue sliding in and out of her mouth.

Now that he was standing more upright, his cock was within Brennan's limited range of movement and she quickly wrapped a hand around him, matching her strokes to those of the hand he had between her legs. When he pushed in, her hand slid down his shaft. When he pulled out, she slid up to the bulbous head and ran her thumb over the sensitive tip, spreading around any moisture that had beaded at the top.

Brennan was incredibly turned on – because he was in complete control; because they were in his office, a place previously taboo; because the tryst had been so unexpected; because his need for her seemed so desperate and consuming. For whichever of those reasons or for all of them combined, she could feel the tension in her body rapidly building and knew it wouldn't be much longer until she crested.

"Booth, now . . . Please . . . I want you inside me when I cum. Fuck me. Now."

Booth lifted one of her legs up over his hip causing her dress to ruck upwards, then lifted her other leg so he was holding her braced against the cabinets, and he slid all the way home, as deep as he could go in one thrust.

They both groaned in pleasure.

"Damn. You're so wet." _Thrust_.

"You have that effect on me." _Squeeze_.

"And tight. Fuck, Bones. So tight." _Thrust_.

"You're big. Always fill me." _Squeeze_.

"Jesus . . . oh, yeah . . . do that again." _Thrust_.

"Mmmm, like this?" _Squeeze_.

"Oooh, God. Bones, what you do to me . . ." _Thrust_.

"Right there, Booth . . . yes . . . oh . . . oh, yes." _Squeeze_.

"Fuck. Love being inside you. Like this." _Thrust_.

"Aaaah . . . yes . . . love having you here." _Squeeze_.

"Fuck, Bones." _Thrust_.

"More. Oh. More . . . Please." _Squeeze_.

"Not gonna last . . . much . . . longer." _Thrust. Thrust_.

"Thank God." _Squeeze_.

Booth took her mouth in another desperate kiss as the pace of his thrusts increased. Their lips clung, parted, and caressed one another's between panting breaths as the intensity of their lovemaking gathered steam. Booth wasn't sure he could wait for her any longer when he felt the first ripples of her inner muscles clenching down around him, signaling her orgasm and triggering his own. He pushed himself as deep as he could go and froze, embedded in her, as he felt the fluids from his testicles shoot out of his cock to bath her womb in a half dozen pulses while she crooned his name.

When it was over, he stood there, holding her, without moving for a couple minutes while they each caught their breaths.

"Damn. I don't think I'm going to be in any condition to work anymore tonight and I just can't seem to give a shit," Booth muttered.

Brennan snorted a laugh. "I'm not sure I'm going to be in any condition to walk anymore tonight and I don't believe I give a shit either."

Booth pulled out of her and lowered her legs back to the ground before placing a chaste kiss on the tip of her nose and helping to fix her dress back to the way it was supposed to be worn. After straightening his clothes, he grabbed the box of tissues off his desk and handed them to her so she could clean up a bit. "You have no idea how much I love you, Bones. Sorry that was so rushed. Not very romantic."

"That was . . ." she searched for a description, ". . . very scintillating and very satisfying. However, if you're not planning to continue working with Aubrey tonight, then I would expect that by the time we clean up dinner in the other room, get home, and get the kids tucked in for the night, you'll be recovered enough to try again without rushing. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

 **A/N:** _May you never view the wall of file cabinets in Booth's office the same way again!_ _Comments?_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** _Thanks again for all the great feedback. It truly helps to know folks are enjoying the story._

* * *

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing _Bones_ related except my imagination. (2/10/16)

* * *

That night, Jessica called Aubrey on the phone, hoping to ask him if he would like to celebrate Valentine's Day with her. All she got was his voice mail so instead, she simply left him a message asking him to call her when he had a break.

The next day, she tried again. And again. But Aubrey didn't actually answer his phone until her fourth attempt, which was totally not like him, causing her to worry whether he was alright.

They didn't chat long. For the first time she could ever recall, she got a vibe from his tone that he didn't really want to be talking with her, although she didn't understand why or what had changed since the last time she'd seen him. The minute she started to mention Valentine's Day, he cut her off, claiming he had to get off the phone but he'd call her back later.

She waited the rest of day, into the night, and he never called back.

The following morning, Jessica sent him a text, asking if he wanted to grab a bite together for lunch or dinner.

Aubrey sat at his desk looking at his phone and the message he'd just received.

The night he first heard she was going on a date with someone else, he'd been too jealous to answer her call, fearful he might say something he'd regret while his emotions were riding high.

When she'd called multiple times the next day, he'd acknowledged to himself that they weren't in a committed relationship, he'd clearly not made his interest in her known to her, and she had the right to date someone else, so she didn't deserve the cold shoulder from him. Once he reconciled those thoughts, he answered her call, but he wasn't ready to hear her actually give him details about whatever guy she was hot for, so he cut her off and made up an excuse when the conversation drifted towards weekend plans and Valentine's Day.

Now, he looked at his phone and thought to himself _'James Aubrey, you're being a total pussy. What kind of bad-ass FBI agent can you claim to be if you won't at least try to fight for the girl you're interested in? James Bond wouldn't hide out sulking in his office.'_

He thought about how hard he'd seen Booth and Brennan fight for each other when Booth first got out of jail, when he suffered his gambling relapse, and when Booth disappeared while trying to help his brother. _They_ didn't always have it easy, but as he recalled how they'd looked when they came back into the conference room the other night after disappearing for about twenty minutes - lips swollen, hair mussed, clothing a little rumpled, and a happy spark twinkling in both their eyes - he knew that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted a love so strong . . . so overwhelming that a spontaneous quickie somewhere in the FBI building was an irresistible inevitability.

Aubrey decided he wasn't going to mope anymore or complain about Jessica's date with the other punk because it was already set and it was his own fault for not acting sooner, but damned if he wasn't going to let her know she had options. They were good together as friends and he was going to make sure she knew he thought they'd be just as good together, if not better, as lovers. He needed a little time to strategize though, so he texted back that he was still busy today, maybe tomorrow, since it would be the weekend.

* * *

The Jeffersonian team had uncovered a number of forensic clues related to their current investigation which had helped the FBI narrow down their suspect pool. That said, they still had more work to do as the murderer hadn't been discovered yet and they were getting frustrated with the current lack of new leads to aid their progress.

Brennan swiped her badge and marched up onto the examination platform with a mission. "Ms. Warren?"

"Yes, Dr. Brennan?" Jessica looked up from the remains to see what her boss needed.

"I'd like you to go back through all our notes from the very beginning of this investigation," she instructed. "Some of our earlier observations might have new meaning or relevance when viewed in conjunction with some of our more recent findings and we might be overlooking something that didn't seem important when we first noted it, early on in the investigation."

"Sure thing, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan watched as Jessica grabbed the thick white binder of case notes and sat down at a computer station, opening both the notebook and the computer files without any of her usual snappy comments or unconventional remarks. These days, the Jeffersonian staff kept a lot of their notes in electronic files or on digital forms that were networked for easy access from multiple workstations, but they also still used regular pen and paper for certain situations, so the intern had to review the data in both mediums.

"Ms. Warren?"

"Yes, Dr. Brennan?"

"You seem . . . uncharacteristically subdued this morning. Is everything all right?"

Jessica sighed over the concern in Brennan's voice. "I'm fine."

"If you're certain." Brennan wasn't going to push the younger girl. She knew first-hand how it was to have something on your mind that you needed to process but the people around you wouldn't give you the time or space to allow that to happen.

"It's just . . . . men, you know?"

"No. I don't know."

"I thought about what you said the other day about not giving up on the thing I want without giving it a fair chance to happen and I turned down Douglas's dinner invitation, but now, Agent Aubrey seems to be avoiding me."

"Well, that doesn't make sense."

"He's dodging my calls and giving me the blow off in texts and I simply don't understand it," she huffed in frustration. "Just when I decided things between us should move forward, he starts running backwards."

Brennan shook her head in bewilderment. It was a good thing she was in a solidly established monogamous relationship because the nuances of modern day courtship seemed completely irrational to her. Booth had told her about his conversation with the younger agent and that James was attracted to Jessica, desiring a more intimate relationship with her, so Brennan was as baffled by Jessica's description of his behavior as Jessica was. "Well, I have many skills and am renowned in several fields, but the dissemination of romantic advice has never been an area in which I excel."

"Hmm. Dr. Brennan, take a look at this."

* * *

Brennan entered the FBI Headquarters building searching for her husband to share with him the latest clue that Jessica had uncovered. He and Aubrey were spread out back in the conference room again and as Brennan shared her newest insights, several more pieces of the puzzle started to fall in to place.

"Well, Bones, you'll have to give your intern an 'A'-plus for this assignment. She did a good job."

Brennan frowned at Booth. "My interns don't get grades for their work at the lab, Booth. You know that. Although, I must say I've been quite impressed with Ms. Warren's performance at work lately despite the fact that she's been so upset with Agent Aubrey."

"Me? What do you mean she's upset with me? What'd I do?"

"According to Ms. Warren, you've been avoiding her calls and blowing-out her texts."

"Blowing-off, Bones."

"Isn't that essentially what I said?"

Booth smiled. "Close enough."

"Wait. No. I wasn't trying to avoid her. Not really. I just . . . I needed to think about some things for a few days. Besides, why does she care what I do when she's got a new boyfriend to keep her occupied?"

Brennan turned a confused frown towards Aubrey. "I don't know what you mean about a new boyfriend, but she cares about what you do because you're her friend."

"But I heard you tell Booth the other night that someone else asked her out."

Brennan nodded. "Yes. That is correct. But she turned down the invitation as she was not inclined to pursue a romantic relationship with that particular individual at this time. Surely you're not holding that against her, are you? Because that would seem irrational. If Booth got upset every time some other man propositioned me, he'd never be happy."

Booth's ears perked up and he sat up taller in his chair. "Whoa. Hey now, what're you talking about?"

She gave her husband a sexy smile and a flirtatious wink. "You're not the only one who finds me attractive, you know. I frequently get approached by other men, some with more honorable intentions than others." She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. "But I turn them all down and I always will."

"You better, Bones. You better," he growled.

"Now, I have to get back to the lab." Brennan got ready to leave, then turned back to Booth. "Meet me for lunch at the diner in a bit?"

"Yeah, sounds great. Say 12:30?"

She nodded to confirm then walked out the door. Aubrey followed on her heals. "Hold up just a minute, Dr. B. Do you know why Jessica didn't want to date this other guy?"

"I believe, Agent Aubrey, that the gentleman who offered the invitation wasn't the one she's interested in." Brennan looked him directly in the eye. "She indicated the one she's interested in has been avoiding her."

Aubrey felt his heart jump excitedly as Brennan's words sank in. "Shit. What am I going to do?"

"I may not have Booth's acumen for understanding people's emotions, but I would think that avoiding her is not the best course of action, especially if I am correct in believing that your interest in Ms. Warren goes beyond a purely platonic friendship."

"No, no. You're right."

"I usually am."

Aubrey stood there, hands on hips, worrying his bottom lip and thinking that Valentine's Day was just two days away. The day after tomorrow. "Assuming she'll still talk to me, I'd like to do something nice for her, but there's not much time left to pull anything together."

Brennan looked back towards the conference room to make sure Booth wasn't in the vicinity, then spoke in a hushed voice as she offered to help Aubrey out. "I'll tell you what. I made dinner reservations for Booth and me for Sunday evening at a popular Mediterranean restaurant downtown call Zaytinya."

He was impressed. "Wow. That place is almost impossible to get into, especially on a day like Valentine's Day. You must've made your reservations way ahead of time."

Brennan shrugged. "Yes, well, the Maître D' is a fan of my novels. Fame and fortune does occasionally have its perks. Plus, I set it up several weeks ago. Regardless, I was planning to cancel so why don't you use my reservation and take Ms. Warren? That is, if you're interested."

"Are you kidding me?" The restaurant was high on Aubrey's list of places to get to and, from what he'd heard about it, not only was the food wonderful, the ambiance would be perfect for a first date. Nice and classy without being too intimate to feel presumptuous. "That would be fantastic. But, are you sure you really want to cancel?"

"Yes. Of course. I wouldn't have offered otherwise," she answered with a shake of her head, confused as to why he would question her words. Brennan had booked the reservation on a whim, wanting to give Booth a pleasant but still romantic evening out for the unacknowledged holiday, but the closer Valentine's Day approached and the more she thought about it, she'd decided it wasn't what she wanted to do. She and Booth always spent Valentine's Day together now that they were a couple, finding small, subtle ways to each remind the other of their mutual love. However, by tacit agreement, neither one did anything too extravagant, commercialized, nor cliché, and dinner at a place like Zaytinya felt much too commonplace for them. "Let me know if Ms. Warren accepts your invitation and I'll contact the Maitre D' to modify the reservations."

"Thanks Dr. Brennan. You're the best."

"That's true."

"I swear I'd give you a big old hug if I wasn't worried Booth might accidently see it and dismember me for it," he teased. Brennan just rolled her eyes at him and stepped into the elevator.

Before heading back to the conference room with Booth, Aubrey pulled out his phone to text his personal favorite squint.

 _JA: Fantastic clue. Nice wrk. Got a brk. Now have time 4 dnr. Still interested?_

 _JW: Cood b. What r u thnkg?_

 _JA: Pizza at DiAngelo's 2nte? Meet there at 7?_

 _JW: U'r on. TTYL_

* * *

 **A/N:** _Comments?_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _Oops – somehow I lost a day and this is late. Nonetheless, here it is - the last chapter. Thanks for all the great encouragement along the way._

* * *

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing _Bones_ related except my imagination. (2/14/16)

* * *

Valentine's Day in 2016 happened to fall on a Sunday, the one day of every week in which all the occupants in the Booth household seemed to slow down to a more relaxed pace and simply enjoy the routines of everyday life. Booth would go to the grocery store; Brennan would change the bed linens and catch up on laundry. Booth would take Christine to Sunday morning mass at their church; Brennan would take Hank on a long walk, pushing the stroller through their neighborhood. Booth would cook breakfast; Brennan would cook dinner. In between those standard chores, they'd color with their daughter, read to their son, and probably find time for a tea party or two between diaper changes.

As he rolled out of bed that morning, tucking his feet into his slippers and grabbing for his bathrobe, it was the thought of these predictable routines that brought Booth comfort. He still found it difficult to fathom that a few months earlier Bones had worried that he was becoming bored with their life this way. This was exactly what he'd always dreamed of and in his mind, life couldn't be more perfect, but she'd been worried enough to surprise him while he was undercover, decked out as the spontaneous and unpredictable character of Wild Card Wanda. She'd certainly surprised him all right. Wild Card Wanda had made a few other appearances since then too, mostly in the bedroom, but, as he cast a glance towards his slowly waking wife, Booth didn't have any cause for complaints about that either.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Booth headed towards the kitchen to start breakfast – pancakes, bacon, and some diced fruit.

Christine was the first to join him in the kitchen. Again, very predictable. As soon as the smell of bacon cooking hit the air, Booth could always count on the pitter patter of her little feet sounding in the hallway. Christine loved bacon almost as much as Booth did.

Shortly thereafter, Brennan came into the kitchen, a freshly diapered Hank in her arms. She plopped him in his high chair before grabbing a home-made vegetable puree out of the refrigerator for his breakfast and approaching Booth for a quick good-morning kiss.

That was when she first noticed the pancakes.

"They're pink," she noted wonderingly, stating the obvious while Booth just gave her an unabashed grin.

"Of course, Mommy," Christine chimed in, a half-eaten bacon strip pinched between her fingers. "It's Valentine's Day. Daddy was trying to make the pancakes into heart shapes, but it's not working very good."

"Very well, Christine," Brennan automatically corrected, reaching for the plate of food he placed in front of her sans bacon. "And actually, while they're definitely a little odd shaped for pancakes, they look more like a real heart than the typical anatomically incorrect heart symbol you generally see plastered everywhere as the symbol of love. Real hearts do not have such a pronounced point at the bottom."

Booth chuckled. "It may not be anatomically correct, Bones, but the symbol of the heart has always been used to represent love and affection and I think it's here to stay." He winked at his daughter. "Even in pink pancakes."

Brennan shook her head in disagreement as she ate a piece of fruit. "In point of fact, that's not entirely correct, Booth. The origin of the heart as a symbol for romantic love is actually believed by many historians to date back to the 7th century BC where it has been discovered on coins produced by the people of Cyrene, an ancient Greek and Roman city located in a region of the world now belonging to Libya. The common belief is that the heart-shaped symbol on the coins was actually a representation of the seed pod from the now extinct silphium plant. The silphium plant was a type of fennel that was used for medicinal purposes including use as an extremely effective herbal contraceptive. The ancient Greeks thought the silphium plant was a gift from the god Apollo and its use as a method of birth control meant both the plant and the heart-shaped symbol were closely associated with sexuality, but not necessarily love. Depictions of the seed were so widespread across the Roman Empire that it even eventually found its way onto their money. It wasn't until almost two thousand years later, during the 13th century, that the actual symbol of the heart that we identify with today was first illustrated in a French manuscript as a symbol of romantic love."

Booth stood still, spatula frozen in his hand as it hovered over the skillet of pancakes. "Really, Bones?" he whisper-growled at her, casting his gaze towards their daughter who was listening with rapt attention. "That is not a topic that Christine needs to learn about. Not for a long time. A long, long, long time."

Brennan rolled her eyes at her husband's sometimes prudish mindset. "It's just history, Booth. Nothing to be ashamed of. It's not like I presented a detailed discussion of S-E-X to our five year old daughter. Besides, your bible tells stories that are much less appropriate for a child than what I just stated including the themes of adultery, incest -"

"Stop. Just stop right there. Leave God and the bible out of this."

"Are you going to give Daddy a card covered with hearts on it asking him to be your Valentine for today?" Christine prodded as Booth placed the last pancake on the plate of food in front of her.

"Oh. Well, your daddy and I don't usually exchange cards on Valentine's Day, Christine."

"Why not? I thought you loved each other?"

Brennan glanced at Booth for direction, but he just seemed to be studying her, as interested in what she might say as Christine was. "Of course we do, sweetheart. But your father and I love each other every day, not just on Valentine's Day, so it's not necessary for us to commemorate one day a year with special heart decorated paraphernalia."

Christine shrugged her shoulders, happily chewing her pancakes. "Well, when I'm bigger and have my own husband, I'm gonna make him be my Valentine. I'll decorate special cards for him and he can give me a big heart shaped box of chocolate. And flowers too. Just because we'll love each other every day doesn't mean we shouldn't also pay attention to a special day that's all about love and do something extra nice for each other."

"It's almost time for us to get going for church, Princess." Booth interjected. "Hand me your plate as soon as you finish that last pancake and go get dressed. We'll be leaving in about a half an hour."

Christine finished her breakfast and slid her plate over to her father to rinse off and load into the dishwasher. While he was doing so, Brennan came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her head resting on his back between his shoulder blades. "You do know that I love you and that in my metaphorical heart, I consider you to be my Valentine even if we don't make a big production out of the day with cards and candies, don't you?"

Booth twisted around in her arms so they were facing and he could embrace her back. "Yeah, Bones. I do. But, Christine has a point too. It's still nice to hear the words. Every Sunday when we go to church, I thank God for the family we've built together and the love we share, but when Valentine's Day rolls around each year and we don't actively celebrate it, I feel almost like we're denying our love. Like we're hiding it or ashamed of it or . . . something. I love you every hour of every day of every year, and when I see others around us treating their loved ones special, I wanna do the same for you. You are my life. You give me strength, and laughter, and purpose and I want to be able to show you openly how much you mean to me every way I can. And that includes celebrating Valentine's Day with you."

"Well then, Booth. Will you be my Valentine today?"

"I'd be honored, Bones."

Brennan tilted forward, stretching up on her toes, and shared a tender kiss with him.

* * *

Jessica lifted her glass of wine, swirling the burgundy liquid in gentle circles before taking a sip of the velvety drink while sneaking peeks at the man sitting across the table from her.

Two nights ago, she met him for pizza and beer at a little neighborhood restaurant they occasionally liked to eat at. Two nights ago, she'd been prepared to challenge him head on and ask whether he thought their relationship would or could ever grow into something more than just casual hanging out buddies. Two nights ago, before she'd been able to say a word, he apologized to her for being difficult to get in touch with for a couple days and assured her she was important to him . . . that he cherished the friendship they'd formed . . . that every time they parted after hanging out, he was already eagerly waiting for the next chance to get together again . . . and that if she didn't have other plans, he'd like her to let him escort her to a nicer dinner on Valentine's Day. Tonight.

Of course, she agreed. It was exactly what she'd been wanting.

They'd sealed their agreement by clinking the necks of their beer bottles together and while nothing more had been said about the pending date for the remainder of that night, she knew they'd both been guilty of stealing covert looks at one another while they'd eaten their pizza.

Before she knew it, time for her first official date with Agent James Aubrey had arrived.

Jessica had seen him as Agent Aubrey, wearing a suit and tie on a regular basis through their work interactions. She'd also often seen him as James, dressed more casually in jeans and a T-shirt when they went to a movie or watched T.V. together. But when she opened her apartment door earlier this evening and saw him standing on her doorstep wearing light gray slacks, a deep striped blue button down shirt with the top few buttons casually opened, and a black sports jacket, she'd felt her heart palpitate. He no longer wore the look of FBI agent or of the guy next door. Instead, his appearance declared romantic _DATE_ and she reveled in the thrill of excitement that shot up her spine and the anticipation of where the night might lead them.

And now they were here, at a nice restaurant with a pleasant dinner winding down. It had been a fun and relaxing evening without any of the normal angst that often accompanied a first date and she presumed that was because of the solid friendship they had already established.

"Well, I've got to hand it to you Superman . . . that was a delicious dinner. I don't think I've ever eaten octopus before, but that was a really tasty experience."

Aubrey smiled at Jessica and nodded his head. "Octopus Santorini. I'll have to remember that dish. I once bought some fresh octopus from a grocery store that sells gourmet foods and tried to make something at home with it, but it didn't turn out nearly this tasty. After that experience, I decided octopus was something I would leave to the professionals to prepare and I'd stick with just making roast beef sandwiches."

She chuckled. "I really enjoyed the unique Mediterranean flavored dishes. How'd you pick this restaurant for dinner tonight anyway?" Upon their arrival, she had noticed that tonight they were only allowing in patrons with dining reservations and the Maitre D' had beamed at Aubrey, claiming he'd set aside one of their best tables for him and his guest. Service throughout the evening had been wonderful.

Aubrey's cheeks flushed with a rosy hue. "Honestly, Dr. Brennan set me up with the reservations. She pulled some strings using her celebrity status to make sure we'd be treated well here tonight."

"Way to go, Dr. B!" Jessica said with a smile. "You know, when I first started working at the Jeffersonian, I thought she would be hard to work for. Very serious, very literal, way too by-the-book on everything for my personality. I thought we were going to clash constantly and I wasn't sure how well the internship would actually work out. But now I've been there almost two years and I've gotta tell you, I love working for her. When she quit and we didn't expect her to ever come back, it really sucked and I totally missed her. Not only is she a great mentor with respect to the forensics, but her no-bullshit attitude keeps a lot of the nonsense drama that occurs in a lot of work environments at bay."

"Yeah. She and Agent Booth are a pretty incredible team together and it's definitely a privilege to be working with them. I'm glad they both decided to come out of retirement and start working again. They're good people and someday I hope to have a life very similar to theirs . . . the house, the kids, the marriage."

"House, wife, and kids . . . those are all prerequisites for running for Senate, aren't they?" she teased.

"You know what they say . . . if you're gonna play the game . . . ," he joked with her. "But, seriously. You're right. I have aspirations to do more with my life than just chasing down bad guys forever. I'm not exactly certain what I'm gonna do, but I know I wanna find a way to make a difference in a way that helps the average person, you know?"

"You will, Aubrey." In her eyes, he saw complete confidence in her words. They were more than simple platitudes. "I don't have any doubt about it, but you will."

"I think it will be easier, and definitely more rewarding, to have a good woman standing beside me when I do."

Somehow the conversation had gotten much more serious than either Jessica or Aubrey had intended, especially for a first date, but she figured it was probably best to clear the air now, before they took this romance any further and one or both of them ended up getting hurt.

"I have some skeletons in my closet, Superman. Some you know about, some you don't. No real criminal behavior, but some things that could be a little embarrassing to someone seeking the public's approval. Most importantly though, I can't promise that in the future I'll be content to just sit on the sidelines and be an observer if I think engaging in a fight on an issue would make a difference."

Jessica's natural enthusiasm for life and all its opportunities was one of the aspects of her personality that appealed to him the most. She was open minded and embraced life with optimism, looking for the silver lining in whatever came her way. She was passionate about the causes that she believed in and she wouldn't apologize for her beliefs. Aubrey thought those characteristics would be beneficial in finding a woman that could also be an equal partner in sharing a life, both in their home and in their careers. He looked her directly in the eye. "I'm only interested in the present and the future, Jess, not the past. I'm not worried about your skeletons, whatever they may be. We all have some. With regards to any future endeavors, I trust you. I trust your judgement. You're an intellectually gifted woman and I'm certain you can find a way to proactively support your causes while still being respectful of the system in which we live and work. That's all I'd ask."

"I'm happy to hear that, James."

After that, their conversation shifted back to more neutral topics while Aubrey settled their bill and they finished their drinks. When it was time to leave, he held her coat for her so it would be easier to put on. "Such a gentleman," she commented.

"Hey, it's the least I can do when a beautiful woman accompanies me to dinner."

Aubrey's car was parked in a public parking deck about two blocks from the restaurant and they started walking that direction, side by side, but not really touching. Right before they entered the parking garage, Jessica stopped and turned to look at him. "Why did you invite me to dinner tonight?"

"What?" Aubrey was taken aback, confused by the question. "Because I like you . . . and I wanted to spend this evening with you."

"Just this evening?" she challenged.

"Well, to be honest, I'm hoping there will be other evenings that follow this one too."

"And what about nights? Once the evening is over I mean?" Jessica stepped closer to him, invading his personal space, her chest only inches away from his. "Are you interested in spending our nights together too? Because I am. I'm hoping that once we enter this garage here and get in your car, that you'll take me back to my apartment and find somewhere to park that doesn't require you to move your car before morning. I'm hoping that you'll come upstairs with me, but this time it will have nothing to do with what's playing on TV. I'm hoping you'll still be around for breakfast tomorrow morning. I make a killer omelet you know."

Damn. Aubrey had never been so turned on by just a few sentences and he was half-tempted to drag her into the nearest alleyway to demonstrate exactly how he was hoping the date would go next. Instead, he lifted his hand and softly brushed his knuckles across her cheek, a gesture intended to show her affection as well as buy him a little time to get his desire under control. "I didn't bring any pajamas with me."

Jessica shivered at the husky timber in his voice that she'd never heard before and turned her head slightly, brushing a whisper soft kiss across the back of his fingers. "You won't need any."

They stood there looking at each other, both letting the meaning of her words sink in. In some ways, it felt like they were frozen that way for an eternity, but in reality, it was no longer than a couple of heartbeats before Aubrey slid his fingers from her cheek to under her chin, tilting her head up towards his as he lowered his lips to hers. His hand on her chin was the only part of their bodies that touched other than their mouths. His lips moved back and forth over hers until she allowed the kiss to deepen by opening her mouth and letting him in. As his tongue stroked along hers for the first time ever, she could taste a hint of the whiskey he'd had with their dinner and wondered abstractly whether he could taste her wine.

The kiss was delicious.

Jessica was just about to reach for him and escalate their embrace when a car drove by, honking their horn and hollering out the window for them to get a room. A crude but effective way of reminding them where they were.

This time, as they pulled apart and started walking into the garage together, Aubrey reached for her hand and tangled their fingers together. "Nights together sounds good to me too." He squeezed her hand and returned her grin with one of his own.

The drive back to her place was torturous. She only lived about twenty minutes from the restaurant, but as soon as they got in the car, she placed her hand on his thigh and it didn't stay still while he drove. By the time he parked, she'd thoroughly explored his upper leg from knee cap to his crotch with her teasing fingers, stopping just shy of touching his genitals every time she got close and Aubrey was certain he'd never been so hard in his life.

She hadn't been silent on the drive either, adding to his distraction and making him marvel at the fact that they managed to arrive back at her place in one piece. She'd whispered to him words about how much she liked the clothes he'd worn that night, but that she couldn't wait to remove them. She told him that she was wearing a thong under her dress and what color it was. She'd nearly given him a heart attack when she softly announced to him that she'd recently gotten a Brazilian wax job with him in mind and she hoped he liked the results.

They wasted no time getting from his car to her apartment, but they didn't make it past the foyer in her apartment before they crashed into one another. In a matter of just minutes, there was a trail of clothing littering her floor and leading from the front door to her bedroom where Aubrey got a first-hand look at both her thong and her Brazilian.

This first time at making love together was almost frenzied with the drive from the restaurant being all they needed in the way of foreplay. He was already hard and she was already wet. They were both so eager and had been wanting this long enough that they came together quickly and in a few short minutes Jessica was hollering his name as she exploded around him and Aubrey followed right after her, climaxing into his hastily donned condom.

And that was okay.

It allowed them the chance to snuggle together in post coital bliss, whispering the sweet nothings like new lovers often did before making love the second time.

The second time was slower and calmer. Since they'd already taken the edge off, they could leisurely explore one another and build up slowly to their next peak. Using hands and lips, they traveled from head to toe on one another, discovering what each person liked and where they were most sensitive. They gave and they took equally and when it was over, Jessica laid back down in Aubrey's embrace and they slept for the night. They weren't quite ready to declare their eternal love together, but both participants were content in the knowledge that they'd experienced something deeper and more meaningful than just sex.

Only time would tell where things between them went from here.

* * *

Across town, Booth entered the front door of his house after dropping Christine and Hank off at their grandfather's place for the night. Max had offered to keep the kids several days earlier and Booth had readily accepted his offer. As much as he loved both his children, he wasn't about to turn down an opportunity to spend an occasional night alone with his wife.

Booth could smell the casserole Brennan had been preparing when he left cooking in the oven, but the house was dark other than one light in the kitchen and a glow coming from his bedroom. Since he couldn't see Bones in the kitchen area, he headed towards the glow.

"Bones? I'm back."

He stopped suddenly at the entrance to their bedroom, looking around as he heard her call "I'm in here" from their bathroom. No lights were on, but the room was bathed in the flickering glow from over a dozen candles placed strategically around the room to illuminate the space. A few of the candles must've been scented because there was a subtle scent of cinnamon and vanilla in the air and Booth's highly honed gut instinct told him that seduction was on the menu tonight too.

Booth deposited the items in his hands at the foot of the bed while he hung up his jacket and slipped off his shoes. Then, picking up one item and leaving the other, he headed quietly towards the open bathroom door.

Brennan was in the bathtub. Their marvelously, wonderful, plenty-big-enough-for-two bathtub. Her hair was pinned up loosely in a twist that kept it out of the water but bubbles obscured his view of anything more than the slender column of her neck. Even in the candlelight, he could tell her cheeks were lightly flushed with a rosy hue from the heat of the water and he could see the heat of desire in her eyes as she tracked his movement into the room.

"I brought you some flowers," he said, holding forth a beautiful bouquet of a dozen roses he picked up on his way home from dropping off the kids.

Brennan sat up in the tub and reached for the bouquet, her slender arms coated in bubbles as she brought the flowers to her nose and inhaled their aroma. "They're beautiful, Booth."

"I know it's trite and cliché, but it is Valentine's Day and everyone knows roses are a classical way of telling someone you love them." He shrugged. "I thought you deserved them."

She held them back out to him. "I love them. Can you set them by the sink until I can grab a vase for them?"

"Sure, Bones." He cleared his throat and looked at her sheepishly. "I also bought a big heart shaped box of chocolates for you too. They're still in the bedroom."

Brennan laughed softly at his embarrassment, a little surprised at how much she liked the thought of Booth bringing her flowers and candies for the special day. "I thought a lot about our conversation from this morning during the day today too, Booth. I think I would very much enjoy participating in the celebratory traditions of this holiday with you every year. We live in a society where this is the cultural norm and even though there isn't a significant historical or religious event to mark the advent of the Valentine's Day holiday like is the case with most other traditional holidays, that doesn't mean it's not just as relevant to our modern day society or that we should shun the associated traditions."

"Yeah. I think you're right on that, Bones."

"Of course. Besides, it's well documented that children emulate the behaviors of their parents and Christine's comments this morning disturbed me. I don't want to set an example for our kids which implies an expression of love is less than a good thing on any day of the year."

Like so many times before, Booth felt his heart swell over her concern and devotion to their family and being the best parent she could be. "You're a great mom, did you know that?"

She leaned back in the tub gently waving her arms through the bubbles. "I'm glad you think so. Now, do you care to join me, Mr. Booth?"

Booth reached for his shirt and tugged it over his head. "What about dinner?" His hands dropped to his waist.

"It's on a low heat and will take a while to cook. We have time to relax." She smiled at him knowingly. "And play."

Booth finished disrobing and Brennan slid forward so he could step into the tub and sink down behind her. He leaned forward and nibbled on her ear as his hands circled her waist under the water. "You know, for a lot of folks, celebrating Valentine's Day also means indulging in some sexual antics too."

Brennan grinned. "I know, Booth. I expect that may be what I'll enjoy most about celebrating this holiday with you."

THE END

* * *

 **A/N:** _Hope everyone liked it, especially mphs95. Thanks for reading and I appreciate any comments you have. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!_


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